


The Paths We Choose

by WolfCross



Category: RWBY
Genre: A sort of Anthology, F/M, Jaune slowly gets stronger, different timelines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 04:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15404832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfCross/pseuds/WolfCross
Summary: Every marker has a choice. Every choice sets a whole new adventure for us to travel. That is what Jaune is to expect as a single question will send him on many different paths each with its own outcome, with love, loss, and victory that comes from a hero's journey. To think that all this would come from a simple question. Who'll come with him on a mission?





	The Paths We Choose

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings everyone on this platform! Here's a little something that I hope you will all like. Remember, Feedback is everything. Thank you and enjoy!

Jaune was nervous.

How could he not be? Every time he had envisioned going to Ozpin's office for a private appointment, in the morning no less, his fake transcripts always came to mind. A sickening feeling burrowed deep in his gut as he sat outside of the office door, drenched in sweat. What if Ozpin had found out? What if the cops were just outside, ready to take him into prison, where he would no doubt be torn apart? He gulped at the thought. His nerves were running high. He could only hope they didn't find out. He paid all the lien he had just to get them.

The door swung open. Jaune yelped involuntarily, his heart skipping a beat and his body stiffening up like a board. Out of the door came the she-dragon of a woman herself, Glynda Goodwitch, staring at him impassively, completely undisturbed by the young man's behavior.

"Mr. Ozpin will see you now." She said.

Jaune nodded stiffly, slowly arose from his seat, and walked slowly into the room, as if he were willingly walking into his own casket. Inside was Ozpin, sitting at his desk of which was coated with papers and files, a steaming coffee mug in hand and his stoic eyes piercing through Jaune's psyche like a spear. After several moments of just standing silently, Professor Ozpin gestured towards the seat, looking expectantly at Jaune. Shivering despite the fearful heat in his body, he sat down, burying himself into the seat.

Well, there were no cops or Atlas military men here, so that was a good sign.

Ozpin's eyebrow rose. "Are you okay, young man?" He asked. "You look as white as a sheet." Jaune didn't respond initially, completely at a loss for words. His stoic gaze returned, albeit darker this time. "If I didn't' know better, I would assume you had something to hide."

"N-no sir!" Jaune said immediately, his voice cracking.

"Then you've nothing to fear. Ease up Mr. Arc. If your back stays that stiff you'll never bend it again." Ozpin said, smiling pleasantly at the young man.

Upon hearing those words, Jaune sighed in relief, his relaxing into the seat. His heart slowed down, along with his erratic breathing. He hadn't found out, thank Oum. His secret was safe for another day. Though that did still raise a question.

"Why did you call me in here?" Jaune asked.

"Well, about that." Ozpin started, taking a quick sip of his coffee. "Do you remember when you had first arrived at Beacon?" Jaune openly cringed. Of course he did. How could he forget? A lot had passed during the many months he had lived there, though that still didn't change how truly terribly he started. For the first two months, he hadn't accumulated a single win. His lack of combat skills and experience should have been obvious, though he had somehow managed to scrape past by the skin of his teeth thanks to the kindness of his partner.

"What about it?"

"Do you recall the missions you've gone through?"

Which one? Jaune nearly cringed again, remembering the many missions that he had gone through with Team JNPR. Like the time that they were being sent to investigate several sightings of Ursa Majors in a small village just outside of Vale. He volunteered to be used as bait to get them out of the cave… only to run out of the cave, screaming like a five year old girl when he saw the Ursa. Or was he talking about the time that one of Jaune's more brilliant ideas of letting Nora disguise him to get Grimm out into a clearing. Being Nora, she went overboard. He ended up in a chicken costume covered in steak sauce, and forced to run up a tree by the amount of hungry Beowulves chasing him.

He still reeked of it. And that was almost a month ago.

All in all, his records weren't the best in the school. Ozpin must have finally noticed it too. The whipping of paper broke the silence as said principle opened one of the files, and began rummaging through one of the papers, stopping at a particular piece of which he gazed at carefully. After a few minutes, the older man spoke.

"Your cumulative record as a member of Team JNPR is exemplary with quite a high rate of success during missions. The average grade point for your team is very good as well. Though there is one black sheep among the flock here." Ozpin eyed Jaune, of whom was sinking further and further into his chair.

"Um… would that be me, sir?" Jaune asked meekly.

"Indeed it would be." Ozpin confirmed, taking another quick sip of his coffee. "I don't suppose you know why?"

"Because I'm just that good?" Jaune asked nervously, trying to lighten the mood.

"Amusing." Ozpin said in a complete monotone, his face remaining its daunting stoic posture. "No. Let me put this simply. While your team record is exceptionally high, your personal scores are not. In fact, I'd wager to say you're one of the lowest grading students I've seen in quite some time. You far from meet the standards in any category. Your grades are mediocre at best with your partners grades pulling your weight out of obscurity. Your combat skill, aura control, and even your lack of Semblance makes it clear that you may not be cut out for this."

Each word was hammered viciously into his heart. Fear and guilt were slowly being overpowered by shame, which burned brightly in his face. Had he really been riding on his teams coattails? How had he not known? Had they known? Oh who was he kidding? Of course they knew. They were just too kind to point it out.

"My position and my brain are telling me to expel you right now, however, that is not what I am going to do."

Jaune's head jolted up, his passive gaze widened. "What? Seriously?"

"Indeed." Opzin said. "If I haven't told you enough times already, if there is one thing I can't stand in this world, its wasted potential, and in no way is that more apparent than in you." The man closed his eyes in thought, silence permeating the air once more. Jaune waited in complete anticipation, shivering like a baby dear, eyes staring and unblinking. "In accordance to this, I have devised a singular mission for you to do. If you pass, it will raise you to the point of our standards. If you fail, you will be expelled. Simple as that."

"A mission?" Jaune asked, pushing himself forward slightly in his seat. "Where? When? What do you want me to do?"

"Patience, Mr. Arc." Ozpin said. Jaune did as such, waiting for an answer. "I will give you the mission details a week from now. In that time, you will acquire a partner to help you. Whom you choose is up to you."

"Okay." Jaune said, biting his lip. "Is that it?"

Indeed it is, Mr. Arc. Remember. One week. You will return in my office at this very hour, with another in tow. Failure to appear will result in immediate expulsion. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes sir." Jaune replied, barely believing his luck.

"Good. Then you may go."

Hastily, Jaune rose out of the seat, and rushed out of the door, nearly slamming the door on his foot in the process. The lockers became large blurs as he raced down the empty hallway, not caring about his loud footsteps, or the pounding in his own heart. As he reached the door to Team JNPR's room, his hand grazed the door handle, only to freeze at the last second. Why was he hesitating? This was his room after all. Though the cold sweat, and colored-drained skin told him otherwise.

He sighed. Forget it. He'll bother his team some other time. Sullenly, he trudged his way down the hall once more until he entered the combat arena. Crocea Mors wasn't with him, and neither was his shield. He had left them in his room, and he didn't have the heart or patience to collect them. He hoisted himself onto the cold, hard desk surface, and laid back, groaning pathetically to himself. He knew he would get in trouble if he were caught lying on the desks in such a rude manner by miss Goodwitch, but he truly didn't care. No one would be up this early in the morning to reprimand him.

Alone time was just what he needed.

Staring at the ceiling, he pondered his predicament. While sure it wasn't anything near as serious as he had once suspected, that didn't change the fact that he was in quite a bad spot. What Ozpin had in store for him was anyone's guess. A flurry of emotions spiraled around his system, making his nerves run high. Fear, anxiety, anticipation, and, oddest of all, a wish to prove himself. While most of him quivered with fear at the prospects of his own real life mission against the dangers of the world, he couldn't shake that feeling of euphoria welling inside.

This was his chance.

A chance to show everyone that Jaune Arc truly is a hero.

But he couldn't do it now, as he was. No matter what kind of tough grit you have, it meant nothing if you didn't have the skill or power to back it up. He needed to train. Train harder than he had ever trained before. He was sure his team would help him, and the members of their sister team RWBY had implied that they would be glad to help him. They would be able to help with certain increments that they themselves were talented with.

Ruby, of course, was very fast on her feet. She would help him boost his own hopefully. Yang could improve his durability, Ren with aura control, and Pyrrha with skill. With their added skills, who knew, he might just pull this off. Nodding to himself, freshly determined, he forced himself off of the hard surface, pushed open the door, and ran through the halls once more, ready for whatever they had to offer.


End file.
